KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is on a working trip to Qatar, has met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
In a Facebook post, Anwar said he conveyed his condolences to Ismail over the loss of several of his family members who were killed in an air strike by the Israeli regime in April.
Anwar was also briefed on the worsening situation in Gaza and Rafah, which have been ravaged by Israeli attacks for the past eight months.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have either died or been injured and nearly of the Gaza strip has been destroyed since the start of the Israeli-Gaza conflict last October.
"I stressed Malaysia's commitment to playing its role on the international stage in stopping the attacks on Rafah and mobilising efforts to assist the victims of conflict, especially where humanitarian aid, medical care, and education are concerned," said Anwar.
"Malaysia appreciates Hamas' readiness to release captives it holds, particularly children and women, and accepting the peace plan drawn up by the Arab world, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the international community.
"At the same time, Malaysia urges Israel to stop its assault on Palestinians, release all Palestinian captives, and agree to the peace plan."
Aside from Ismail, others at the meeting included Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and former Hamas chairman Khaled Mashal.